I don't know how many of you have thought to look, but here in eastern Ohio a lot of our dollar stores carry odd lots of what is often otherwise expensive yarn. I've scored Patons Lacette for a dollar a skein (it's lavenbder and I haven't found a project for it, but it'll come.) I've found the Lion Watercolor and Landscapes I used to make a couple of felted tote bags; that set me back $4.50 for three skeins. Today the Big Lots upriver had Caron Felt It in two colorways, some Caron...oooh, I can't remember the name, it's royal blue chenille with silver threads. That was also $1.50. Classic Elite is a dollar a skein. Everyone seems to have Lion Boucle for a dollar. If you actually want fun fur yarns, they're usually a dollar where they're not marked down further than that. Here are places I've found yarn:
Ollie's Bargain Outlet
Big Lots
Dollar Tree
Deals

I've heard several other discount chains get occasional shipments, so it never hurts to look!

Cynamar

04-23-2008, 07:12 PM

I would never think to look there! If I knew they had yarn I would probably not even look at it to know what they had. Now I want to check it out! There is a Dollar Tree by the Unemployment office and I have to go this week. If there's anything good I'll find it!

Jan in CA

04-23-2008, 07:28 PM

That's a great tip! :thumbsup:

lactosefree

04-23-2008, 08:02 PM

Thanks for the tip!

I know of one Big Lots where I live - I wonder if they have yarn there. I never thought to look at discount places and such.

suzeeq

04-23-2008, 09:03 PM

Big Lots has had a bunch of yarn lately, they don't have it all the time. There was some Lion magic stripes and other Lion yarns for $1.50, some Premier yarn, a bulky and fuzzy one, for $1 and some RH for one of those prices.

PDMKNITS

04-23-2008, 09:34 PM

Big Lots has had a bunch of yarn lately, they don't have it all the time. There was some Lion magic stripes and other Lion yarns for $1.50, some Premier yarn, a bulky and fuzzy one, for $1 and some RH for one of those prices.

That's great and I love getting a good deal, but let's not forget to support our local knit shop. That's where we can go when we have trouble and need instuction.
Happy knitting.

sinistral_needler

04-23-2008, 09:45 PM

What is the name of the store that you went to?!?!?! I will have to go to one, if there is one in the area!!

suzeeq

04-23-2008, 09:47 PM

Yes, but for experimenting, those are great deals.

salos

04-23-2008, 09:57 PM

I would never think to look there!

Ditto. Thanks for the excellent heads up!

vaknitter

04-23-2008, 10:33 PM

My Big Lots never has anything interesting !! I think the only thing I've ever seen at the dollar store are toilet brushes. I've never even found good yarn at Tuesday Morning. Today a patient told me you can buy IPods and pregnancy tests at the Dollar Store?!

Becky Morgan

04-23-2008, 10:54 PM

Unfortunately, my "local" knit shop is 90 miles away and I have a 13-year-old car, so if I want yarn, it can't come from there.

Raeknitsnwa

04-24-2008, 01:14 AM

The only few times I have seen yarn @ my Big Lots it has been the Fun Fur I think its called & I am not a real big fan of it & at the Dollar Store i've never seen any yarn it would be nice it Big Lots had a bigger selection of yarn because what they had was fairly priced

margz3

04-24-2008, 11:52 AM

I have a great Big Lots right down the street from my house. Around Christmas time they started brining in yarn - throwing it in little bins near the cash register (hard to find) Now they actually have a section on the shelf and have more to choose from. I just joined in the HAP program and plan to get my acrylic yarn for that from Big Lots. Also, if anyone is in the MA/RI/NH area, Ocean State Job Lots has a fairly large yarn selection (mostly Lion)

heatherg23

04-24-2008, 12:00 PM

Awesome! Thanks for letting us know!
:knitting:
Heather

Cynamar

04-24-2008, 07:28 PM

I just realized that I have never bought a pregnancy test.

Debkcs

04-24-2008, 07:35 PM

None of those stores have yarn in this area. Michael's has an OK selection, as does Walmart, but I'd rather order online or but at my LYS.

Our Dollar Store is sad.

1to1

04-25-2008, 01:59 PM

Here is my yarn find (http://the1to1.blogspot.com/2008/03/yarn-find.html) from Big Lots. Maybe I need to stop by there on my way home.:woot:

HollyP

04-25-2008, 03:05 PM

Nice haul 1to1! I'm going to have to check out the new big lots near my house. I'd love to only spend $3 for enough yarn for a pair of socks!

Terrycap

04-28-2008, 08:44 AM

Hello All!

I am a fairly new knitter and found the thread about dollar store yarn interesting. I live in a small rural Community with several dollar type stores and one yarn shop. I too like to support my local shops and she is great about helping with problems. I just finished a small baby blanket that by the time I was done cost me a LOT of money. To make matters worse I am unhappy with how it looks. My question is does it really make a big difference in a project if you use inexpensive yarn? Obviously our skill (or lack there of) plays into this but now I am thinking I should have bought cheap stuff first while improving my skill. The woman in the yarn shop obviously downplays cheap yarn.

Your thoughts?

Terry:knitting:

Ginnyb

04-28-2008, 10:30 AM

I think it is personal preference myself. I have had good luck with Caron's Simply soft, but I just tried Lion Brand Homespun and I hated it, but I have used Lion Brand Wool-ease and it was fine. Sometimes the yarn just doesn't feel right or doesn't knit right, but expensive yarn can do this too!
Ginny

suzeeq

04-28-2008, 11:24 AM

Use whatever yarn you can afford that will work for a project. For baby blankets, something that's washable is probably better - babies spit up and leak a lot.

Terrycap

04-28-2008, 03:02 PM

Thanks Ginny!

I agree that the way a yarn feels makes a difference to how I feel about a project. I just started an aphgan for my daughter. I am using a bulky yarn with size 15 needles. You double the yarn so it feels really odd knitting so large and the feel of the yarn is different than the nice soft baby yarn (merino wool I think) I just finished using. I also bought quite a bit caron yarn from a AC MORE store. It was on sale and I grabbed a bunch. Of course i can't go to the yarn store and ask for help with my cheapie stuff that I didn't buy from her. I will check out our local dollar stores.